Hopewell Cape Rocks 1

There are very large natural rock formations near where I live. People come from literally all over the world to see the Hopewell Cape Rocks, and walk among them at low tide. But beware when the tide comes in, it rises very quickly and covers the sea floor.

This is the very start, a pencil trace-down of a photo I captured last summer. I have darkened the photo of the tracing to help it show better here. No paint yet, but it is a start, right?
The canvas is 9" x 12", I will use Artisan, likely a very limited palette for this one. Then proceed to take those learnings to a 24" x 36 painting of the same image. Likely to be a small series of the Rocks, as they are a fascinating subject.

Looks interesting. Can hardly wait to see more.

I can almost feel the color... Looking forward to the completion of this work...

Here is the first layer, 2.5 hours in. The palette is my usual one, Artisan titanium white, Cad yellow hue, cad red hue, ultramarine blue and raw umber. Next, I need to work on the face of the foreground rock, and the background rocks.

Wow! This is coming out really nice... You could call it complete right now. Love the composition. I love the way the rock in the front is dominating and how it extends out of the picture. I like the way you are handling the atmospheric perspective.

I need to do some landscape painting as well. I need to pack up and head out.

I really like your sketch and the first post of the color wip looks good. Have you done any more to it?

Hi Jan
Thanks for the comments. I haven't gotten any further yet, it is still on my easel, waiting for my life to calm down

Had a chance to work on this yesterday. I repainted the sky, and the rocks in the background. Then I mostly repainted the large rock in the foreground. Almost finished, but it helps to walk away for a day or so before declaring something finished. If you would like to have a closer look, there is a larger image of this one on our Facebook painting page.

Absolutely delightlful too look at... . The painting has very decisive brush strokes and love the color harmony. Alan, I think you are definetly a landscape artist... It is a pleasure to see your landscape work...

Thanks Faisal!
I am learning a lot in working with the limited palette. It might help me if I ever get painting outdoors sometime. Not today of course, it is -20 or something right now:)

I will be tackling some very large Rock paintings soon. The blank one on my easel now measures 30" x 40", my largest yet.

Yes! Also, I like the nuances that you are catching in your work... I have noticed that as one improves, the nuances are caught automatically without realization... but I like it...

... I wanted to say... and I like it... not "but I like it"... (changes the intent of what I wanted to say)...

Hi Faisal
Thanks for the good words! We are both on the path to better paintings. You are progressing rapidly! I am always struggling to find time and energy but am planning to focus what I do have.
best regards

Really nice, Alan! I think we all struggle for more painting time. Even though I'm "retired" the time still isn't there for painting sometimes. I hope to get more painting done after this month ends & will post when I do.

In the meantime, keep on painting, Alan!

I could have reposted this one on the completed page, as it is now done.
But it is essentially the same as the photo above, except for the addition of people, and my signature. So here is a detail photo of that little area.

cool to see a different perspective...